Amanda Maxham is a research associate and writer at the Ayn Rand Institute. She writes, speaks and gives interviews for ARI on topics in science and environmentalism, such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), DDT and pesticides, climate change and energy.

Dr. Maxham contributes regularly to public education and debate on science-based policy issues, which relate to her areas of knowledge. She is a frequent contributor to the Institute’s blog, Voices for Reason, and is managing editor and host of ARI’s policy podcast.

She holds a PhD in physics (astrophysics) from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and her scientific work on gamma-ray burst astronomy has appeared in international science journals such as The Astrophysical Journal and The Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Dr. Maxham was recently an adjunct professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at UNLV where she founded and directed the university’s high-altitude weather balloon research program. Prior to joining the Ayn Rand Institute, she was a visiting assistant professor of physics and astronomy at UNLV. She is also a graduate of the Objectivist Academic Center and a current member of ARI’s Advanced Education Program.